Against the backdrop of continuous expansion in the global aquaculture and livestock feed industries, fishmeal — a core high-quality protein raw material — is entering a new price upcycle.According to official statistics released by IFFO – The Marine Ingredients Organisation in May 2026, global fishmeal production fell by 28% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026,with a 38% year-on-year drop in March alone. Driven by reduced fishing quotas for Peruvian anchovies and temporary fishing bans due to the high proportion of juvenile fish,the CNF reference price of new-season Peruvian super steam fishmeal surpassed USD 3,100 per tonne in July 2026, hitting an all-time high.

According to a 2026 specialized report by industry research firm Future Market Insights, the global fishmeal market reached USD 48.7 billion in 2026 and is projected to grow to USD 74.8 billion by 2036, marking a 4.4% compound annual growth rate over the decade. With total global fishmeal output long held at roughly 5.6 million tonnes as a rigid constraint, sustained demand growth is steadily driving up the industrial value and resource scarcity of fishmeal. Market expansion is mainly fueled by rising unit prices and high-value-added applications.

As a benchmark high-quality protein ingredient in feed formulations, the nutritional advantages of fishmeal have been widely validated by global research and industrial practice.Data from the University of Florida IFAS (Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences) shows that premium fishmeal typically contains 60%–72% crude protein with an overall apparent protein digestibility (APD) generally above 90%, significantly outperforming most plant-based protein sources.Official IFFO resources note that fishmeal provides a complete essential amino acid profile, natural Omega-3 fatty acids including EPA and DHA, as well as highly bioavailable calcium,phosphorus, selenium & B-complex vitamins. As one of the most nutritionally balanced single feed ingredients, it plays an irreplaceable role in aquaculture fry production and the breeding of young livestock and poultry.

In terms of consumption structure, aquaculture is currently the leading application sector for fishmeal. Future Market Insights data shows that aquaculture accounted for approximately 50% of global fishmeal demand in 2026. The continued expansion of aquaculture in Asia-Pacific, Europe and South America, combined with growing demand from emerging segments such as super-premium pet nutrition, has further widened the supply-demand gap for high-quality fishmeal.In an industrial cycle of persistently high prices, both feed manufacturers and fishmeal processors face the dual pressure of ensuring quality and controlling costs.Improving raw material utilization and product grade at the processing end has become a core strategy for enterprises to hedge against raw material price increases.

As a professional Chinese manufacturer of fishmeal equipment and meat and bone meal equipment, SunRise has long been deeply rooted in the marine protein processing equipment sector,providing global customers with full-process customized solutions from process design to equipment manufacturing, installation and commissioning.We optimize the integrated cooking-pressing-drying production process to match the raw material characteristics, capacity scales and environmental standards of different countries and regions.The process is adaptable to various raw materials including anchovies, sardines and mackerel, ensuring protein yield & recovery efficiency and product freshness meet international standards.The entire production line is fitted with an full PLC automatic control system and high-efficiency odor abatement to comply with production and environmental requirements worldwide.We deliver tailor-made solutions ranging from containerized small rendering units with daily processing capacity of dozens of tonnes to large-scale integrated production lines with hundreds of tonnes of daily output.

Amid growing scarcity of fishmeal resources and persistent market price volatility, improving processing efficiency directly strengthens core competitiveness.With reliable equipment quality and customized services, SunRise helps global customers elevate raw material utilization and product grade,take firm control of cost initiative in a fluctuating market, and jointly advance the sustainable development of the marine protein industry.

References:

1. IFFO: Reduced fishmeal production, fish oil production shows more resilience https://www.iffo.com/reduced-fishmeal-production-fish-oil-production-shows-more-resilience
2. Seafood Media Group: Global fishmeal market enters a new bullish phase driven by Peru and China https://www.seafood.media/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?day=6&id=138623&l=e
3. Future Market Insights: Fish Meal Market : Global Industry Analysis 2016 – 2025 and Opportunity Assessment 2026 – 2036 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/fish-meal-market
4. University of Florida IFAS: The Benefits of Fishmeal in Aquaculture Diets https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FA122
5. IFFO: What is the nutritional profile and benefits of fishmeal and fish oil? https://www.iffo.com/what-nutritional-profile-and-benefits-fishmeal-and-fish-oil